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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. C L TRAVIS MATRIX MAKING MACHINE.

Patented July 26, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. L. TRAVIS.

MATRIX MAKING MACHINE.

No. 479,539. Patented July 26, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. TRAVIS, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MINNEAPOLIS ELECTRO MATRIX COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MATRIX-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N 0. 479,539, dated July 26, 1892.

Application filed January 16, 1890. Serial No. 337,093. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. TRAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Matrix-Making Machines; and I do hereby declare the followigto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains .to make and use the same.

This invention relates to matrix-making machines in which there is employed as the character-selecting device a key or lever mounted on a horizontally-movable pivot, or, in general, to machines of the general charactershown in patent to Goodson, No. 427,681, dated May 13,1890. In machines of the kind exhibited in said patent the impressions in a matrix material are made singly bya series of dies brought one after the other to a common printing-point under a depressingr device. The spacing of the characters corresponding to hand-set type is produced' by a variable-feed mechanism for actuating the matrix-material carriage. The dies and the key-lever or character-selecting device are on the opposite ends of a common bar pivoted in a sliding block. The characters are selected from au index-plate or characterboard and the act of selecting the characters by the hand-key brings the corresponding dies to a printing-point. The character-se lecting device is also a circuit-closer, and whenthe particular character is selected on the index-plate a circuit is closed, controlling the matrix-feed and the die-depressing device. In other words, all the operations of the machines are initiated and controlled by the character-selecting device. The feed movements of the matrix-material carriage comes after the alignment of the die and precedes the action of the depressing device.

Difiiculty was at iirst experienced with the above-described construction bya possibility of opening the circuit at the index-plate, before the depressing device had made or completed its stroke on the proper die. This was remedied by a separate supplemental circuit on the feed-magnets and the die-depressing device, independent of the key-lever, of insuficient power to actuate the respective armatures, but sufficiently strong to hold the same after the main circuit had been closed at the index-plate, until opened at the die-depressing device. The effect of this supplement circuit, however, Was to introduce a new difficulty, viz. Inasmuch as the die-depressing device could continue to act after the main circuit could be opened at the indexplate, strokes would be produced on the dies when away from the printing-point, thus quickly destroying the faces of the dies. The object of mynvention is to overcome all these difficulties and to render it impossible for a stroke to be made upon the dies in any other position than at the printing-point and to make it necessary that every die shall be driven to its limit in a matrix material before it can be removed from that position, no difference how many strokes of the depressing vdevice may be required to accomplish this result. A perfectly-uniform depth of impression is thus secured for all of the characters and injury to the dies is entirely avoided. At the same time I simplify the construction of the machine, increase its speed, and lighten the work of the operator. To this end I lock the die-carriage and the matrix-material carriage in astationary position at the printing-point beyond the possibility of disturbance bythe operator until after the die-depressing device has driven the die to its limit and ceased to act, when all the parts are set free, enabling the operator to select and align the next die. Any construction, mechanical or electrical, which will perform these functions is within the scope of my invention. In my preferred construction I provide an electro-magnet in circuit with the die-depressing device located in a proper position to hold the key-lever in contact at the index-plate until after the die-depressing device has completed its work and broken the circuit at that point. I also provide an iinproved form of automatic circuit-breaker for the die-depressing device of such nature that the circuit must be maintained through the magnet controlling the depressing device until the die has been forced down to the limit of its stroke, at which time the circuit will be broken and the contacts held widely apart uu- 2 masse til after the circuit is opened at some other armature R. To the top plate of the diepoint. carriage f I pivotally attach a bar S of suffi- Referring to the drawings, wherein I have cient lengthto reach the key-lever portion of 7o shown mypreferred construction, therein like the alignment-bar. This bar S when in Workletters referring to like parts throughout,I1`ig ing position lies directly under the armature ure l is a view,partlyin elevation and partly R and when the circuit is closed through in section, of a machine embodying my inventhe magnets R', the armature R, and the 1etion. Fig. 2 is aplan View of the same. Figs. ver S locks the lkey-lever into contact at the 75 3 and 4 are detail viewsin plan, and Fig. 5 in index-plate. 1o elevation, of the automatic circuit-breaker de- The guides g g, along which slides the block tached. Fig. (i is a cross-section of Fig. l on. G, are parallel bars rigidly securedor mounted the line X X; and Figs. '7 and 8 are diagramon the bed of the machine and serve to mainmatic Views,in elevation and plan,illustrating' extain the to-and-fro Ymovement of the block 8o the electric circuits. exactly in a straight line. The carriage R, I5 A is the main bed of the machine. which is attached to the block G, carries an B is the seat for the die-depressing mechanti-friction roller Z, which runson the bed anism. A and which is designed to sustain the Weight C is a part ot' the matrix-material carriage of the said carriage, the block G, and the de- 85 under tension. vices or parts carried thereby. n zo D D is the escapement mechanism for giv- Turning now to the circuit-breaker on the ing a variable feed to the matrix-carriage, and die-depressin g device, on the top of the solen- E, e, e', dac., are the magnets for controlling oid-frame I place a bed of insulating matethe same. rial, preferably of hard rubber. On thishard- 9o F is the alignment-bar having the die-carrubber bed I mount a sliding contact-,plate riagef at one end and the character-selecting T under tension of a spring T and electrikey f at the other and pivotally mounted in cally connected to the binding-post d. This the sliding block G, which is movable lengthshifting contact T is provided with a raised Wise of the guides g. lug back of its forward end and with a notch 95 H is the solenoid with divided armat at its rear end for the purpose hereinafter 3o tures h 7i. stated. To the upperarm of the toggle-lever I is the toggle-lever supported in a stand- I attach by a connecting-rod 'i and an insuard .I and connected to the armature h. lating-nut t" a contact-head U, connected to K is the die-plunger connectedl to the lower solenoid-wire, the outer end of `which is sup- Ico arm of the toggle. ported by a spring-yoke V, secured to the rub- L is the constantly-running eccentric-shaft ber bed T. The contact-head U is rounded having its eccentric-rod L connected to the on its under side and the front end of the other armature h. shifting-plate T is beveled on its upper sur- M is theindeX-plate or character-board covface, (see Fig. 5,) insuring perfect contact. y x05 ering the groups of contacts. (Not shown.) W is a spring-pawl adapted to catch into 4o N and N represent the positive and negathe notch t on the shifting contact-plate T 'tive binding-post ofa generator. (Not shown.) when at the limit of its rearward movement.

P P P represent the course of the main W Visthe paWl-tripping device, of which circuit, charging the entire bed of the mathe part W is pivoted to any suitable part of tro chine with branches j? p q q', duc., leading the frame and has its upper arm projectingfrom the various groups of contacts at the into a position to strike the pawl `W and has index-plate to the respective magnets c c', its lower arm connected by the partW with &c., controlling the escapement-stops and rethe escapement D.

turning through the main escapement-mag- It is evident that contact U will be moved 115 net E to the negative binding-post of the genback and forth, with the movement of the deerator. pressing device, over the top of the shifting Q is a hand circuit-breaker on the main cirplate T, Working against the lug t and moving cuit P P P for use in operating a spacing `the plate T atthe rearward limit of the stroke. device. (Not shown.) The spring-tension on the contact-plate T 12o It should be noted that the circuit to the tends to throw it to the limit of its forward i solenoid H is made from the bed over the esmovement toward the die-depressing device. capement D with its contact d to the binding- I-Ience the head U and the plate T are always post d. in contact, except when the plate T is retained' The construction so far described is, with by the pawl W. Even when so retained, the the exception of the branches P P of the contact continues until the toggle-lever has 6o main circuit, all similar to the machine demoved forward beyond its center. The cirscribed in the said patent, No. 427,681, to cuit will then be broken, permitting the key- George A. Goodson. lever f to be removed out of contact at the I will now note my improvements. To the index-plate, settingfree the escapement D, 13a sliding block G,in which the alignment-bar F opening the solenoid-circuit lat the bindingis mounted, I attach a small carriage R, and post (Z through the device WV W, tripping on the same I place electro-magnets R in cirthe pawl W, permitting the shifting plate T cuit with the solenoid I-I, having a pivoted to fly forward into its normal position in contact with the head U. The part of the tripping device connecting with the escapement is made adjustable. It may, therefore,'be so set that the contacts CZ and d must be Widely separated before the pawl I/V is tripped and the plate T set free to unite With the contacthead U.

The fact that the pawl W can only catch and retain the contact-plate T', when at the rearward limit of its movement, makes it necessary for the toggle-lever to make its complete stroke, forcing the die into the matrix material to its limit before the contacts can be separated and the circuit broken. In case the magnetism of the solenoid should be insufcient to hold the divided armatures h h together and pull the toggle over the center on the first revolution of the eccentric-shaft, the toggle will continue to make a partial stroke at every revolution until a complete stroke is made and the die is driven home.

The general operation may be readily understood from the description already given. The operator selects the desired character on the index-plate with the key-lever f. The act of doing so aligns the corresponding die under the depressing device and closes rst the feed-circuit and then, by the movement of the escapement, the solenoid-circuit,starting the depressing device and tying down the keylever. The operator can then do nothing more until the depressing device has completed its Work and released the key-lever.

The great improvement in the matrix itself resulting from this construction is uniform depths of perfect impressions regardless of the width of the face of the dies or the character of the matrix material. Wide and thin dies, coarse lines, and hair-lines must all go to exactly the same depth. The value of this result cannot be overestimated, as it is the only Way in which a stereotype-plate can be cast from the matrix having all its type of exactly uniform height, which is absolutely necessary in order to get a perfect impression on the printed page. As the dies can never be driven against anything else than the matrix material, their faces are kept sharp and perfect, thus preventing a mut-ilated impression.

Perfection of impression and uniform depth of impression are the improved results shown on the matrix. To the machine itself the improved results are durability, economy of cost, and lightness of operation. The dies are the most costly part of the machine. By preventing their injury yfrom pounding one font will last indefinitely. By dispensing with the supplemental circuit before used the electric connections are simplified. By poising the alignment-bar on an anti-friction carriage the key-lever is rendered lighter and more easily and more quickly operated.

The lock-lever magnet assists the operator in making contact at the index-plate, relieving him from any continued depression ofthe key. In other Words, it lightens the touch,

rendering it only necessary for the operator to make the slightest contact, the lock-lever magnet sustaining the same as long as ma gain considerable in speed.

It Willbe understood that the lock-lever magnet might be otherwise placed. It could take any position permitting it to lock the ydie-carriage and key -lever by any suitable connections. Theindex-plate itself might be made the magnet and the key-lever the armature. It will be also understood that the electric circuits and connections might be differently arranged.

- I claim-- 1. In amatrix-making machine, the combination, with the character-selecting key, a diecarriage, and die-depressing device, of a locking device forsaid die-carriage adapted to be brought into operation to lock said carriage in a given position by the depression or manipulation of the key and to be unlocked by the operation of the depressing device, as set forth.

2,. In a matrix-making machine, the combination, With the combined die carriage and character-key, of the matrix-feed mechanism controlled by said key, the die-depressing device controlled by said feed mechanism, and a locking device for retaining the matrix and the selected die at the printingpoint, the said locking device being dependent for such operation upon the action of the characterkey and for its release upon a movement of the depressing device necessary to make a completed impression.

Y 7o ybe required. The operator is thus enabled to 3. In a matrix-making machine, the combil nation, with the combined die-carriage and character-key, of the matrix-feed controlled from said key, the die-depressing device controlled from said matrix-feed, and a common automatic lock for securing the matrix and the selected die at the printing-point until a IIO completed impression is made controlled to v lock from said key and to unlock from said die-depressing device.

4. In a matrix-making machine, the combination, With the die-carriage, of an electrically-controlled lock for said carriage, electrically-controlled feed and impression devices, electric connections for said electric devices, and circuit-controllin g mechanism for said connections.

5. In a matrix-making machine, the combination, With the die-carriage, of an electrically-controlled lock for said carriage, electrically-controlled matrix-feed and die-impression devices, electric connections for said electric devices, a hand circuit-controller for initiating the movement of said electric devices, and an automatic circuit-breaker operv ated from the die-impression device for. breaking the circuit at the completion of the impression.

6. In a matrix-making machine having electrically-controlled feed and impression devices, the combination, with the die-aligning and character-selecting key-lever controlling the feed and impression device circuits, of an electro-magnet in circuit with the die-depressing device adapted to lock said key-lever in contact, and an automatic circuitbreaker operated by the die-depressing device for releasing the lock, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a matrix-making machine, the combination, with the electrically-controlled impression device, of an automatic circuitbreaker under the control of the impression device comprising a pair of contacts inseparable until the impression device has made a complete stroke and returned to its normal position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a matrix-making machine, the combination, with the die-depressing device and an electro-magnet for controlling the same, of an automatic circuit-breaker comprising a pair of shifting contacts controlled by the impression device normally in circuit with said magnet and inseparable until the depression de- Vice has made a complete stroke and returned to its normal position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a matrix-making machine, the combination, with the electrically-controlled feed and impression devices, of an automatic circuit-breaker in the impression-device circuit, comprising a pair of shifting contacts under the control of the impression device normally in contact, a retaining device for engaging one of said contacts at the limit of the diestroke, and a tripactuated from the feed for releasing said plate after the circuit is open ed elsewhere.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. TRAVIS.

Witnesses:

WM. H. BLoDGETT, JAS. F. WILLIAMSON. 

